The New Earth by Gertrude Battle (Used by permission)

l. A New Heaven and a New Earth

A. What has God promised to do for His people? Rev. 21:1

To give them a new heaven and a new earth. When we think of 'heaven' we usually think of the place where God is. But here is a heaven that is to pass away.

B. How many heavens are there? 2 Cor. 12:1-4

Three. If there is a third heaven there must be a second and a first. The third heaven is Paradise. Where is Paradise?

Rev. 2:7 Where the tree of life is. Where is the tree of life? Rev. 22: 1,2 Where God is, where His throne is.

C. Where is the first heaven? Gen. 1:20

The atmosphere that surrounds this earth, where the birds fly.

D. Where is the second heaven? Ps. 19:1-4

Where the sun, moon and stars are, or the stellar heavens. The astronauts have invaded the second heaven.

II. The Capital City - The New Jerusalem

A. What will be the capital city of the New Earth? Rev. 21:10

The New Jerusalem that John saw coming down from heaven at the end of the millennium.

B. What will be the size of the city? Rev. 21:16

12,000 furlongs. A furlong is 1/8 mile. 12,000 furlongs would equal about 1500 miles. The city will be 1500 miles in circumference. It will be four-square, or 375 miles square. Quite a large city, but it has to hold all of God's people at one time.

C. How many gates will there be, and for whom will they be named? Rev. 21:12

Twelve gates named for the twelve sons of Jacob or the twelve tribes of Israel---the church before Christ. Of what are they made? Of pearls. Rev. 21:21 The streets will be of transparent gold.

D. How many foundations will the city have? Rev. 21:14

Named for the twelve apostles---the church after Christ. Of what are they made? Rev. 21:19, 20 Can you imagine 375 miles of precious stones and their reflection in the golden streets?

E. Will the city have need of the light from the sun or moon? Rev. 21:22, 23

No. Why? Rev. 21:3 ; Rev. 22:3 Because the glory of the Father and the Son will be there.

III. The New Earth

A. Where do we find a description of the New Earth? Isa. 65:17- 25

Verse 20 seems to be a little difficult to understand, but by it being here in this particular chapter, it seems to be a contrast picture between life on this earth as it is now, and as it will be in the New earth. There will be no such thing as an infant dying a few days old (R.S.V.) nor an old man who has not filled his days. A child will perhaps take a hundred years to grow up and lose his childhood before he develops Mal. 4:2 into a mature person; but here, if a man lives to be a hundred years old, he has all the infirmities of the flesh upon him. Jacob was 77 years old when he left home. He had not even married. In the early days of life's history, a person was just a youngster at 100 years old.

God likens His people to trees. I understand that trees do not die of old age. We will have a mansion in the city prepared for us, but we will build our own country homes and grow our own food. There will be no wild animals in the New Earth. Nothing will ever be killed for food. It was never intended to be in the beginning.

B. Will there be any desolate places on the earth? Isa. 35:1, 2

No. According to Revelation 21:1 there will be no more sea. Water covers about 3/5 of the earth's surface, and the Sahara Desert in Africa alone covers more territory than the whole United States. There will be much more land space for people to live in the New Earth. There will be no more wide oceans to separate us one from another. The whole earth will be habitable.

C. Will there be any more blind, lame, or deaf people there? Isa. 35:5, 6

No. Think of people like Helen Keller and others who have never known what it is to see, hear, or walk. We should comfort one another with these wonderful promises. Verses 3, 4

D. Will we sleep in the New Earth? Eze. 34:25

Yes. There will be a form of day and night in the New Earth. It will be a sweet sleep.

E.Will there be anything to mar our happiness in the New Earth? Isa. 33:24 ; Rev. 21:4

There will be no more funeral trains or hospitals; no need of anything in the medical profession.

IV. The Sabbath to be Kept in the New Earth

A. Will we keep the Sabbath in the New Earth? Isa. 66:22, 23

Yes. We know why we will go up to the city every Sabbath, but why will we go up every new moon, or once a month? Rev. 22:1, 2 To partake of the fruit of the tree of life which yields its fruit every month.

V. Saints Inheritance

A. Who only will enjoy all these things? Rev. 21:7

Only those who have become Christlike in their characters.

B. Is this just a glimpse of what is in store for us? 1 Cor. 2:9

In the ages to come He will show us more and more of His great and beautiful universe. Eph. 2:4-7 'The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.' Zeph 3:17 ; 6T. 125 We should be earnestly praying that we will be among those faithful ones. Ps. 106:4, 5

This earth reminds me of a sick child who has gone through a serious illness. While the child is ill, the whole household is unable to function normally. The child cannot enjoy normal pleasures, nor eat normally, because he is sick. So are we in this poor sick old world, and God is not able to pour out His blessings upon us as He would like to do because of this. But some day when the Great Physician has healed us, we will be able to enjoy all the blessings that heaven can bestow upon us.

It also reminds me of the little black sheep that strayed from the fold. When he is found and brought back to the fold, the shepherd rejoices over that one sheep as if it were the only one he had. Jesus loves us, His little black sheep, so much that He will never leave us again. He will set up His kingdom on this planet called Earth. This will be the center of the universe. Rev. 21:3; Rev. 22:3

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Updated 6/16/2006 by Kim Rollins